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WASHINGTON, DC — A letter titled “No Bad Budget in Our Name” will be delivered today to Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries. Through a private sign-on letter, the Federal Unionists Network and 35 local, council, and national unions representing tens of thousands of federal workers are calling on Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries to oppose any budget that undermines access to affordable healthcare for millions of Americans or weakens Social Security, the VA, scientific agencies, regulatory protections, and the other services and programs tens of millions of Americans rely upon, even if it means a government shutdown. From the letter:
"A government shutdown is never Plan A. Federal workers and the communities we serve will face severe hardship. But federal workers will willingly forego paychecks in the hopes of preserving the programs we have devoted our lives to administering.”
Federal workers and their unions are calling on Congress to refuse any budget that further weakens critical public services and programs that millions of Americans rely upon.
To interview and speak on the record with FUN leaders and workers from HHS, CMS, the VA and other agencies, please call Anna or Shaye
As Jimmy Kimmel recently learned, this Administration isn't above retaliating against those who speak truth to power. To protect the endorsing unions, FUN has chosen to only disclose their names with Senate Minority Leader Schumer and House Minority Leader Jeffries.
QUOTE FROM THE FRONTLINES:
“We've known for some time that this Administration wants massive RIFs. This is not new. What is new is using a shutdown as a threat to pressure Congress to pass a budget that impacts our most vulnerable, including seniors, rural communities, hungry children and cuts out access to healthcare for millions of Americans. Federal workers took an oath to serve the American people, and our veterans, our seniors, and our families deserve better than to have these important services and protections taken away from them.” — Alissa Tafti is an economist, and Co-Executive Director of the Federal Unionist Network, a worker-led effort to defend democracy and transform the federal government from within.
“We call on Congress to reject any budget that weakens the services and programs we’ve devoted our lives to delivering and that tens of millions of Americans rely upon. Federal workers are willing to forego pay — not out of protest, but out of principle. Congress must draw the line: public service–and public programs–are not bargaining chips in a billionaire power grab.” — James Kirwan is a DC-based federal worker, a labor lawyer, and an organizer with the Federal Unionist Network.
WHY IT MATTERS:
This is not just a government shutdown — it’s a targeted lockout of the American people from vital services and constitutional processes.
Veterans risk longer waits as 30,000 VA jobs are slashed
Seniors are being rerouted to error-prone AI when calling Social Security
Federal agencies are being shuttered without Congressional oversight
Union rights are being stripped from two-thirds of the federal workforce
ATTACHMENTS:
ATTACHMENTS:
Full letter to Sen. Schumer and Rep. Jeffries (PDF)
The Federal Unionists Network (FUN) is a national movement of federal workers and allies working in coalition to defend public services and rebuild government for a more democratic, equitable, and just country.
Contacts: media@federalunionists.net
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